Musical instrument having pluckable teeth



Jan. 3, 1950 T R. DUNCAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING PLUCKABLE TEETH 5 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1947 IAIVE/VTOPZ'. o

Jan, Fa 115$? "r. R. DUNCAN 25493 119 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT mvme PLUCKABLE TEETH Filed April 17, 19417 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIIH I Jam 3, 1950 T. R DUNCAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING PLUCKABLE TEETH Filed April 17, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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EFICCOMPANIMENTH ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING PLUCKABLE TEETH Application April 17, 1947, Serial No. 742,005

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a musical instrument having pluckable teeth.

More particularly the invention pertains to musical combs the teeth of which are sequentially arranged and adapted to be successively plucked throughout the length of the row in which they are arranged to produce a chosen melody.

This invention simulates somewhat the music box idea wherein reeds or teeth, not arranged in melodic order or rythmical succession but like the notes of a diatonic scale, are struck at random at various predetermined points to produce the musical quality objective. Such an arrangement as embodied in the music box necessitates great skill in manufacture in order to determine just what the particular arrangement, tune and order should be for the plucking of the reed or tooth so that the desired tones will be produced in proper melodic succession.

In my improved music box comb this technical construction is entirely eliminated. Even in the alternate embodiment of the invention, which may be held in the teeth and plucked by a single hand or simultaneously by both hands, the construction is so simple that a mere child without any musical education whatsoever is capable of playing a complete melody by plucking the teeth in succession from end to end of the instrument.

One of the important objects of the preferred embodiment of my invention is to provide a music box comb capable of being manufactured at a lower cost. For this purpose melody and accompaniment, melodic order, pitch and rhythm are made integrally into a single molded comb.

Another object of the invention is to produce either round or straight musical combs embodying the generic principle of producing a perfect melody by the successive plucking of a plurality of musical teeth arranged sequentially in melodic order.

A further object is to provide musical instruments of the above character which will arouse in children an early interest in music.

A still further object of the invention is to provide as an article of manufacture a device which combines the utilitarian feature of a hair comb and an instrument having a series of teeth sequentially pluckable to produce a harmonic succession of musical tones.

Other objects, features and advantages of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawings wherein are shown generic embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a section taken on line I--l of Fig. 2 of the preferred form of the invention showing a circular music comb with the spacing of the teeth for London bridges. The upper degrees of the full circle of teeth are for the melody and the lower 180 degrees of the full circle of teeth are for the accompaniment. An additional half circle of teeth is shown inwardly spaced from the accompaniment teeth, such additional half circle of teeth being for a counter melody or sub-accompaniment. The teeth of all three of the groups of teeth mentioned are turned to the note radially indicated for each on the encompassing staffs.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, a part of the box which is broken away in Fig. 1 being shown in Fig. 2. The teeth of the full circle comb beyond the section line are purposely omitted in order not to confuse the view.

Fig. 3 is a linear elevation of the full circle comb, the teeth being tuned to the note indicated for each on the adjacent staff.

Fig. 4 is a linear elevation of the half circle comb, the teeth being tuned to the note indicated for each on the adjacent staff.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a pocket music comb and removable resonator horn showing an alternate embodiment of the invention. The spacings for the uneven length of teeth are for London bridges and are tuned to the note indi- 1cated for each on the staff spaced opposite there- Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is another embodiment of the invention showing a comb with teeth of even length. On the left half of the comb (shown in the upper portion of the view), which is broken away from the right half to contract the view, the teeth are spaced from left to center for London bridges melody, while the teeth on the right half of the comb (shown in the lower portion of the view), from center to right, are for the accompaniment. The teeth on the left half of the comb are tuned to the note indicated for each on the staff for the comb shown in Fig. 5, while the teeth on the right half of the comb are tuned to the note indi cated for each on the staff shown superjacent to them.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. '7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmentary views showing how the teeth of the comb may be altered to vary the pitch.

Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary views showing how the tooth cavity in the finished die may be altered to vary the pitch of a particular tooth of the comb made by said die.

Referring in detail to the drawings, therein shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a box 9 provided with a hinged lid I0, and a cover II of an inverted cup shape and having its mouth portion secured to the floor I2 of the box for enclosing the full circle musical comb I3 and the half circle musical comb I4 inwardly spaced therefrom. Said combs I3 and I4 are attached to the floor I2 by means of screws I5 and I6 which extends upwardly through the floor and into the basal portions of said combs.

Within the space surrounded by said circular combs there is fastened to the floor I2 a casing I! which contains a conventional clockwork I8 windable by a key I9 subjacent to the floor of the box. The clockwork should rotate 180 degrees in five to eight seconds. Centrally connected to the clockwork is an arm 29 provided.

with plucking fingers 2|, 2Ia, 22 and 22a, the fingers 2|, 2Ia being adapted to pluck the full circle of teeth 23 when the arm is rotated by said clockwork while one or the other of the fingers 22, 22a simultaneously plucks the half circle of teeth 24. The upper 180 degrees of the full circle teeth 23, as viewed in Fig. l, are for the melody London bridges and the lower 180 degrees of said full circle of teeth are for the accompaniment of said melody. The half circle of teeth 24 are for a counter melody or additional accompaniinent for said melody. The varying length teeth 23 of the full circle comb are tuned to the full circle of notes 25 on the staff 26 and are spaced in the metrical order of a melody, and the varying length teeth 24 of the half circle comb I4 are tuned to the half circle of notes 21 on the staff 28 inwardly spaced from said full circle of notes and likewise spaced in the metrical order of a melody, each tooth on the full circle comb and the half circle comb being connected to its proper staff note by means of one of the series of broken radial lines 29. The words 30 of the song being played are shown in proper sequence in a semicircular row adjacent to the periphery of the field within the upper half of the circular staff 25. Explaining further in detail the relationship of the teeth of each comb to the notes to which they are tuned, in Figs. 1 and 3 the tooth 31 of the comb I3 is tuned to the pitch of the note 32 on the staff 26, and the tooth 33 of the comb I3 is tuned to the pitch of the note 34 on the staff 26. Continuing in a clockwise fashion each successive tooth of the comb I3 is correspondingly tuned to each successive note on the staff until the last tooth 35 and its tuned-to note 36, completing the melody, is reached. Simultaneously with the plucking of the tooth 3|, as for example by the plucking finger 2Ia, the accompaniment tooth 31 is plucked by the plucking finger 2| and the sub-accompaniment note 38 is plucked by the plucking finger 22. The tooth 3'I.is tuned to the pitch of the note 39 appearing on the staif 25 and the tooth 38 is tuned to the pitch of the note 40 on the staff M. It will thus be seen that as the arm 20 is caused to rotate about the axis on which it is mounted in the direction in which the arrows in Fig. 1 point, at the sounding of the tooth 3| there will be a simultaneous sounding of the teeth 3? and 38 and so on around the circle until the tune is finished. However, it will be seen that on account of the way the sub-accompaniment is written there will be at least one tooth in the inner half circle to be struck by the finger 22 when there is not any tooth to be struck simultaneously by the finger 2| and vice versa.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the fingers 22 and 22a depend from the underside of the arm 20 and are then bent outwardly subjacent the adjacent fingers 2| and 2Ia, and since the teeth on the half circle comb are shorter than those on the full circle comb there will be no interference with the simultaneous plucking of the teeth by the plucking fingers.

The combs I3 and I4 are constructed of plastic by the injection molding process. The pitch of the teeth in general is determined by varying the thickness and/or the length. All the teeth in the preferred embodiment are level across the top as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. However, as more fully described hereinafter, it will be noted this level construction across the top is not adhered to in one of the alternate embodiments of the invention. Long, thin teeth are of a lower pitch. Shorter thicker teeth are of higher pitch. By tuning the melody an octave lower, or the accompaniment an octave higher, all teeth could be of equal length, the required differences in pitch being achieved by varying the thickness of the teeth, although a better balanced (evener) sound would be achieved by varying the length as well as the thickness. In Fig. 4 the lengths of the teeth are varied by variations in the contour of the toot. carrying edge of the comb.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the melody could be distributed through a full circle on a single inner comb and that the accompaniment could be distributed through a full circle on a separate outer comb. This would yield certain advantages, namely; longer melodies could be used in the same space and the melody would be on the comb with the shorter teeth. Although the combs I3 and I4 are shown separately constructed, it is obvious that they could be integralized and cast in one piece. When so constructed the assembly cost is minimized.

The music box comb is put into operation simply by elevating the lid which operates in turn the wire trip lever 42 to start the operation of the clockwork in the well known manner. This mechanical operation could be supplanted with a small hand crank which could be manually operated in case a cheaper model was desired.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show a pocket comb 43 provided with a removable frusto-conically shaped resonator horn 44. The horn 44 is provided with an open slot 45 the edges of which seat within opposed grooves 46 provided for them in the body portion of the comb from which the teeth extend. A cylindrical brace or C-bar 41 shown integral with the slotted part of the horn, keeps the slot in the horn from springing open and becoming loose. The horn slides on the comb, fitting tightly in said grooves, there being provided by this means an interlocking sliding connection between the horn and comb body. When thus arranged the vibrations of the teeth when plucked are imparted to the whole structure of the horn causing it to act as a resonator as well as an amplifier. By holding the back part of the comb in ones teeth the melody can be plainly perceived without the horn. Since combs of this character could be marketed in various models each having the notes of a different tune, one horn could serve for all different tunes. This is a low cost pocket music comb on which a child or unskilled adult can play a tune. It may also be manufactured in plastic using the injection molding process.

The teeth 48 of the comb 43 are shown of uneven length across the top, yet even so the comb is usable as a utilitarian device to comb the hair. In this model the teeth are tuned to pitch in the order of a melody "London bridges and are spaced so as to provide the rhythm of said melody. For example, reading from left to right the tooth 49 is tuned to the pitch of the note 5%, the tooth 5| to note 52, and so on across the comb, similar to the same melody, the teeth, notes and spacing of which are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The notes 50, 52 on the staff 53 arecorrespondinglyidentified with the words 54 of the song thereabove.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the comb therein shown differs from the comb in Figs. 5 and 6 in that the teeth across the top are of even length. In the left half of the comb shown in the upper portion of Fig. 7 the teeth are tuned from left to center in melodic order the same as just described in regard to Fig. 5 and the teeth for the right half of the comb as shown in the lower portion of the view from center to right are tuned to the accompaniment for the melody of the teeth of the left half of the comb. The relationship of each particular tooth to its tuned-to note on the staff, rythmical spacing, pitch and order of melody will be understandable from what has already been said and by what is shown in the drawing without further explanation.

In the latter model, however, the variation in pitch is accomplished by varying the thickness of the teeth. Since this actual required variation is so small, it is scarcely perceptible to the naked eye. The production dies would be copied from a prototype, the notes of which are tuned by grinding off the edges of certain teeth. The teeth are also slightly tapered.

This latter model is much the same as that of the circular comb shown in linear elevation in Fig. 3. However, non-musical stronger guard teeth 55 and 56 have been added at the ends of the comb to protect the adjacent teeth and are added for the pocket model only. f

With further regard tov the comb shown in Fig. '7, in manufacture a blank would be made with the teeth of only approximate pitch, and

somewhat higher or sharper (thicker) than def sired pitch. These teeth would then be shaved or ground off at the edges to produce a correctly tuned prototype production model. Either or all of the four sides of each tooth can be ground off to lower the pitch, as anything that reduces the over all thickness of a tooth lowers its pitch. However, if only the upper part of any tooth is ground off its pitch is raised, as the thinner upper part will vibrate independently of the thicker lower part. Thus the pitch of any given tooth can be lowered by grinding it off evenly throughout or raised by grinding off only its-upper portion.

The method of grinding off the edges of a particular tooth or teeth of the comb to obtain a new vibrating length whereby the pitch is varied is illustrated in Fig. 9 wherein the dotted indication 51 shows a new vibrating length which raises the pitch of the tooth. I

The method of grinding off the edges of a particular tooth or teeth of the comb throughout the length of the tooth or teeth whereby the pitch is varied is illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein the dotted indication 58 shows a tooth ground oif throughout its length to lower the pitch.

This method of grinding off the edges of the teeth of a comb to obtain a new vibrating length to raise the pitch and/or to grind off the teeth throughout their length to obtain a lower pitch are considered to be very important steps in the 6, manufacture of musical combs, because it affords an inexpensive means of rectifying one or more imperfectly cast teeth of the comb.

Similarly when a mis-tuned tooth or teeth of a musical comb was found to exist such error could be corrected by re-tuning the finished production die, that is to say, alter the die in such a manner that when a new comb was molded the pitch would be varied to vibrate a different tone than that originally produced.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I show two methods of how this correction can be accomplished.

In Fig. 11 the metal is removed from the lower side of the tooth cavity 60 as dottedly indicated at El. Such alteration in the die would produce a tooth which would vibrate at a higher pitch similar to the tooth 51 in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 12 the metal is removed from the upper side of the tooth cavity 52 as dottedly indicated at 63. Such alteration in the die would produce a tooth which would vibrate at a lower pitch similar to the tooth in Fig. 10. The amount to be removed in either instance described would be very small as the pitch of notes would have to be altered very little.

Additionally in regard to the comb shown in Fig. 7, the left half (upper part of View) only. could be manufactured as a separate comb with the teeth evenly spaced, omitting the provision for metrical spacing of the notes. Such an embodiment would look like an ordinary pocket comb, as the teeth would be of the same length and evently spaced. The differences in thickness of the various teeth would scarcely be noticeable to the naked eye. The user of the comb could easily learn to pluck the teeth in the proper metrical order. In order to produce audibility from this type of music comb, all that is neces sary to do is to hold the comb in the teeth or place it hard against a table top and start plucking the teeth from left to center and from center to right simultaneously if both melody and accompaniment is desired, or from left to center only, if only melody is desired.

While the combs in all the embodiments herein described are intended to be moulded of plastic material by the injection process, it is obvious that they could also be stamped out of metal, or have teeth made of wire fastened to a metal or plastic base. The molded plastic form was chosen because experiments indicated this to be the most practical material at the present time. While the tone developed by hard metal teeth is somewhat superior, olifliculty was encountered in stamping metal of required hardness. Experiments-with wire teeth showed that manufacture would be more difiicult than with plastics. It was further found that adequate tone can be produced by plastic teeth if these are sufficiently resonated. By using the plastic injection molding method, music boxes can apparently be produced at about one-fifth the cost of conventional music boxes.

I claim:

1. The combination with a music box including a hinged lid, said box having within it a clockwork and means operable by elevating said lid to set said clockwork in motion; of a circular toothed comb mounted in said box in an outwardly spaced concentric relation to said clockwork, a semicircular portion of the teeth of said comb being successively tuned to a melody and the remaining semicircular portion of the teeth being tuned to the accompaniment for said nielody, and an arm axially supported by said clockwork in a superjacent relation thereto to be ro- 1 4. ma device of the kind described,

tated thereby in her zontal plane, said arm exe tending diametrically *across saidclockwork. and being 'pr'o'vi'ded with: plucking fingers positioned to repeate'dly plucka simultaneously a melody tooth-and an accompanimenttcoth as said plucking -fingers are caused to pass in the path of said tethl 2.=In a device of-thekinddescribed, abase, a full circle toothed comb mounted upon said base with the'teeththereof upstanding, a circularly shaped comb mounted-wupon said base with the teeth thereof upstanding in an inwardly spaced coricentric 'relation to said, full circle toothed combg'the teeth of one of said combs being tuned successively ztocaz melody. and the teeth of the other of said combs being tuned successively to an ac'companiment for. the melody, and an arm mounted upon'said base axially of both of said combs andfrotative in a horizontal plane, said armbeing provi'dedwith plucking fingers adaptedv to pluck-"the teeth of both of said combs in successionrepe'atedly simultaneously.

I SL ThecOmbination'Witha boxhaving a hinged cover and having a windable clockwork mounted therein'to be'iset in motionxbythe opening of said cover;of'a fullicirclertoothedicomb mounted in said box in anzoutwardly spacedconoentric rela-= tion to said clockwork-,a half circle toothed comb mounted' lnisaidibox in an'inwardly spaced concentric relationrtossaidzfullcircle toothed comb, a

semicircular portioneofflthe teeth of said full circle toothed. 'com'bi-ibeing a successively tuned to a melody, the remaining semicircular: portion of the teeth of said full: circle toothed comb being 'tun'ed successively to the accompaniment for said -melody, 'and the teeth of saidzhalf circle toothed "comb being tuned tosasub-accompaniment for said melody, andanarm axially supported by said clockwork in a superjacent relation thereto tobe rotated thereby 'in a horizontal plane, said arm extending diametrically across said clockwork a'nd being provided with plucking fingers extending in the path of all the groupsyof teeth to be plucked-repeatedly inz succession simultaneously by said plucking fingers as the latter are caused to pass in the pathpf said teeth,

a base, a full circle to'othed-comb'mounted uponsaid base with the teeth thereof upstanding, half of the teeth of said comb being successively tuned to a 'melody while the remaining half are successively tuned to the accompaniment for the melody, said t'eeth'bein'g so positioned that a melody tooth is in a predeterminedapproximate opposite position to "its appropriate accompaniment tooth, andan arm extending acrossithespace between a-melody "toothand its accompaniment tooth. and having 7 an axis -'of rotationlsecuredrto said base, which axis upstands "in atconcentric relation to the teeth of saidcomb, said arm being rotative'in a horizontal plane'uponsaid axis, said arm being provided at its outer extremities with-plucking -fingers which as'the-arm is rotated will pluck a melodytooth simultaneously with its accompaniment tooth l I I 5. 'In'a device of the 'kind described, abase, a

full circle toothedcomb mounted upon saidbase with the teeth thereof upstanding, half the teeth of said comb being successively tunedto a melody while the remaining half are successively tuned =to the accompaniment for-the melody, said teeth "being-so positioned" that a melody tooth is in a predetermined approximateuopposite position to its appropriate acccmpaniment tooth, and, an

arm turnably supported at its midlength portion upo said base; sa d armegtencmg diametrically across the space betweena melody tooth and its accompanimenttooth, said arm being provided. at each side of the axis about which it is turnable with plucking fingerswhich as the arm is turned will pluck a ,succesfsion of melody teeth simultaneously with a succession of accompaniment The combination with a box having a hinged coverand having alwindable clockwork mounted therein .to be setin inotion by the opening of said cover; ofa full circle toothed comb mounted in. saidbox in an outw'ardly spaced concentric relation, to, said clockwork, a half circle tooth comb mounted insaidboxin an inwardly spaced concentric relation to' said full circle toothed comb, a.semicircular portionof the teeth of said full circletoothed comb being successively tuned to ya melody, theremainingsemicircular portion of the teeth of said fullcircle toothed comb bein tuned succe ssively to the accompaniment for said melody, and the teeth of said half circle toothed comb being tuned to a sub-accompaniment for said melody, andan arm supported, by said clockwork overits centralfportion in a superjacent relation thereto be rotated therebyin a horizontal plane -about the midlength portion of the arm, said arm extending diametrically across said clockworkand being provided in each end portion radially. be c'na'sa clockwork with plucking fingers extending in thepath of all the groups .of "teeth to be' pluckefiirepeatedly in succession simultaneously,Ibyfsald plucking fingers as the melody {and theIremairiing semicircular portion .of the teeth tuned ,to the accompaniment for said-melody, being, arranged, in the order of the accompanimentfforsaid melody, and being spaced to provide the rhythm of the accompaniment for said melody; and an arm axially supported by said clockwork ina superja'cent relation thereto to berotatedthereby in a horizontal plane, said arm extending diametrically across said clockwork and. beingfprovided' with plucking fingers ..posit ioned to repeatedly. pluck melody teeth and accompanimentteethin their proper metrical relationshipas said plucking fingers are caused to pass in thepath o ffsaid teeth.

8. The combination with a box having a hinged cover and, having a windablef clockwork mountv ed thereinto be set. in 'motion by the opening of said cover; of a'full' circle toothed comb mounted -insaidbox in an outwardly spaced concentric relationl-jto said. cl ckwork; a'half circle toothed ,comb mountedi'in' saidbox in an inwardly spaced concentric relation to said full circle toothed comb, a semicircular' 'portion of the teeth of said full circle toothed c'omb being successively tuned to a melody, arranged inthe order of said melody and spaced to .prpvide the rhythm of said mel- Wody; theremaining semicircular portion of the teeth-of, said full circletoothed comb being tuned 1., successively. :to theaccompan m n a ody, arranged in the order of the accompaniment for said melody and being spaced to provide the rhythm of the accompaniment for said melody; and the teeth of said half circle toothed comb being tuned to a sub-accompaniment for said melody, and an arm axially supported by said clockwork in a superjacent relation thereto to be rotated thereby in a horizontal plane, said arm ei rtending diametrically across said clockwork and being provided with plucking fingers exspaced concentric relation to said full circle' toothed comb, the teeth of one of said combs being tuned successively to a melody and the teeth of the other of said combs being tuned to an accompaniment for the melody, and an arm mounted upon said base axially of both of said combs and rotative about its midlength portion in a horizontal plane, said arm being provided with plucking fingers at each end portion adapted to pluck the teeth of both of said combs in succession repeatedly simultaneously.

THEODORE R. DUNCAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wier Oct. 27, 1885 Jaccard May 24, 1887 Savidge Oct. 4, 1932 Number 

